FROM THIS EPISODE

This week on Good Food with Evan Kleiman, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack explains how agriculture can help lift California's economy. We'll go to San Gabriel for noodles with Jonathan Gold. Good Food Producer Harriet Ells gets a lesson in growing tomatoes from Scott Daigre. Entomologist Patrick Gomes tells us about a pest that's threatening California citrus and what we can do to help. There's a $500, 6-volume cookbook that's changing the way we approach cooking. The author is inventor Nathan Myhrvold. Plus host Evan Kleiman goes to Santa Ana in search of fresh tortillas. The OC Weekly's Gustavo Arellano takes us to a chorizo factory. And, Roxana Jullapat of Ammo shares her recipe for fresh strawberry pie.

Jonathan Gold is the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer for the LA Weekly. This week he reviews Lucky Noodle King, which serves dan dan mian, a dish made with the spicy and mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper. He also likes the "crazy flavor eel," the fava beans with garlic and chile, the twice-cooked pork, and the Chong-qing fried chicken.

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was in Long Beach this week to talk trade. He made an appearance at the Port of Long Beach, which is one of California's busies ports. California ranks first among US states in terms of agricultural production and exports. Hear the full interview, or see a transcript, here.

Patrick Gomes is an entomologist and the national coordinator of the USDA's Citrus Health Response Program. More about their Save our Citrus public awareness campaign and how to identify citrus greening here. If you are in California and you want to report a pest, call the California Department of Food and Agriculture: (800) 491-1899.